Roanoke Bass

The Roanoke bass has also been called a rock, google eye or redeye bass. The Roanoke is another freshwater fish of the sunfish species that is called a bass. They are oval shaped and have a somewhat similar appearance to the rock bass. The upper third of the Roanoke bass is dark olive green to olive brown in color fading to a grayish tint down the sides and turning to white on the belly. Their upper body scales contain small yellowish white spots.

The largest caught Roanoke on record weighted in at 2 pounds 11 ounces.

Young Roanoke bass eat insects and crustaceans. Adult Roanoke Bass feed on crayfish and small fish. Fly-fishing can be an effective tactic for catching Roanoke bass. Light spincasting tackle is recommended for use by non-fly fishermen to enhance the catch experience. Recommended lures include tiny jigs, doll flies, streamers, small minnow style crank baits, small spoons and spinners. When using live bait, small to medium minnows work best.

Roanoke bass prefer clear, rocky creeks and pools found in large creeks, streams and small rivers with moderate flows and rocky bottoms. They are native only to a few river systems in the United States. These river drainage systems include the Eno, Neuse and Tar rivers in North Carolina; the Roanoke River, the Chowan River and the Meherrin River in North Carolina and Virginia; the Blackwater River and the Nottoway in Virginia. Roanoke bass have also been introduced into other parts of North Carolina, most notably in the Uwharrie River of the southern Piedmont region. These populations however are small and isolated.

It is believed that the Roanoke nests in fairly fast currents. The male will construct a circular nest in gravel or clay around mid-June then encourage passing females to his nest. The male then guards the eggs and larval young.

The Roanoke bass is considered a vulnerable species because of its limited habitat. Loss of this habitat from construction of impoundments, pollution and siltation continues to pressure their numbers.